JENI'S ICE CREAM X RIGHT BEE CIDER

Last week, I went out on a work night! I rarely do this anymore (unless you count my Tuesday night speed runs, which I don't really...), and keep saying that I'd like to do this more, so here I am walking the walk.

The other Tuesday, two events happened in the lives of my favorite Chicago people.

1. Joe took his huge Step 2 test that he'd been studying months for!
2. Maggie got a job offer as a physical therapist after finding out she passed her boards test!

Yay! Yay! Yay!

Also on Tuesday, I saw this Instagram post and realized that *the* Jeni of Jeni's Ice Cream would be in Chicago for an event. Joe, Maggie, and I are all HUGE Jeni's fans. Anytime we go out to eat somewhere near a Jeni's, we're pretty much bound to end up there.

Case.


And.

Point.

(Also not related, but Joe and Maggie and I have a joke that if you go through my phone, it looks like Joe and Maggie are dating instead of me and Joe because I'm always the photographer so take pictures of them... see below too hahaha!)

It turns out the Jeni's event was the next day, and Joe and Maggie and I had been talking about going out to celebrate so I proposed we go to dinner and then follow it with Jeni's event and they were so onboard.

The event was at Kaiser Tiger, a fun, hangouty summer bar (bocce ball, a live band, stringed-lights hung over picnic tables, etc.), in the most western part of the West Loop. Given such was the case, we decided to eat dinner at Kaiser Tiger too.

Craft beers were ordered, so were too many fries (even if we ate them all...), and I had the tastiest veggie sandwich.

After dinner we went upstairs to the Jeni's x Right Bee event. There were scoops of the Jeni's x Right Bee collaboration sorbet + scoops of Jeni's saltiest caramel ice cream + Right Bee Cider on tap.

We each got a glass of cider, scoops of ice cream, and were in total heaven.

And then we met Jeni! We were on cloud 109, if you will. I fangirled so hard and we asked Jeni the all-important questions of how she likes her popcorn flavored ice cream since it's my favorite and Joe and Maggie hate it. As it turns out, it's one of her favorites and it will be a regular flavor at the new Wrigleyville Jeni's, which will be opening soon :D. It made me like her even more, if that was even possible. 

OUR FIRST APARTMENT GUESTS // STUFF FROM A FEW WEEKENDS AGO

A few weekends ago, my brother Dan and his friend Theresa came to Chicago! They were in town for a music festival, but we still got to spend lots of time hanging out. 

So this wasn't actually with Dan and Theresa since they were at the music festival on Friday night, but Joe and I went out for dinner in the West Loop. We went to Parlor Pizza, which is where we went for my birthday. It's one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Chicago. We had to wait an hour for a table so we walked around looking at the street art in the West Loop and catching up after our busy weeks.  

The wait was so worth it. Thin crust pizza with burrata, truffle oil, and arugula with a lemon vinaigrette + Chicago craft beers + fries... it made the work week seem like a distant memory.

Oh and we at this too. After dinner we got dessert at Bombobar. This vanilla gelato bomboloni (an Italian donut) sandwich dipped in salted caramel sauce and coated in fruity pebbles... life changing. While the food in Chicago is good, I haven't had too many of those "life changing" food experiences that I always had in NYC (e.g., Cronut! Ippudo ramen! Creme brulee donut at Doughnut Plant! Boqueria tapas! Etc!). I already feel like I need another bomboloni really soon.

On Saturday morning, the kids were home after a late night partying (they invited me and Joe to an afterparty, but only Joe got the text because it was midnight and I'd already been asleep for like... 2 hours... ha). We went out for brunch in our neighborhood at Kanela and then made our way to Millennium Park, which is about a mile from our apartment. 

Obviously we saw The Bean first. Maybe it's because I'm not originally from Chicago, but I always love seeing it time after time. 

After, we walked a bit further south to Buckingham Fountain. It's supposedly one of the biggest fountains in the world, but try as I might, I can't find a list of the biggest fountains. 

We headed home after our morning of touristing and ended up pregaming. This pic is from when Joe and I introduced Dan and Theresa to German chocolate cake shots. This is also a life changing food (drink/shot) experience, just saying. (1 part Frangelico + 1 part vanilla vodka + a lemon wedge dipped in sugar).

Later in the afternoon Dan and Theresa went back to Day 2 of the festival, so Joe and I met up with friends. We got rainbow cones at Navy Pier and tried to play mini golf, but apparently Navy Pier got rid of it when they built the new ferris wheel last year! 

Instead, we ended up having a BBQ. Joe and I obviously brought the sangria ;)

On Sunday morning, I woke up super early and went for a long run. 13.1 miles! I ran all over Chicago and it was pretty hot out, but I didn't feel completely awful which was nice. Also, I went for a quick swim at the end! 

Everyone was still passed out when I got home after my run, but once everyone was up, we went to Lou Malnati's for deep dish. It had been a few months since I last had it, and it totally hit the spot.  

( Pizza eating sights. )


On Sunday night, Dan and Theresa were at Day 3 of their festival (they were leaving really early on Monday morning). Joe and I hung out and went back to hangout at the beach at night. 

A MONTH OF DINNERS // MARCH

Presenting another month in dinners tonight since it's nearly halfway through April already! On Sunday, I had no idea what to make for dinner this week. Looking for some quick inspiration, I pulled up January and February, and just like that, my weekly meal planning was set. I realized I hadn't had chili or fried rice in a while so I decided I'd make those for the week.

1 - Tortellini + Kale Salad

2 - Cheese and Bean Quesadillas + Kale Salad

3 - Trader Joe's Thin Crust Veggie Pizza + White Wine

4 - Out for Deep Dish at Lou Malnati's + Spinach Salad w/ Chevre + Tiramisu
Completed what I consider to be the Chicago Deep-Dish Trifecta (Gino's East, Lou Malnati's, Giordano's)

5 - Falafel Pitas w/ Hummus, Roasted Eggplant, + Tomato and Cucumber Salad + Chateau Ste. Michelle 2015 Chardonnay
For a tasty Sunday night dinner.  Hard work to make, but cannot recommend highly enough. Makes roughly 6 servings (1/2 a falafel stuffed with 3 each)

6 - Lentil Loaf + Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes

7 - Leftover Lentil Loaf + Leftover Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes

8 - Didn't write this one down, so no clue!

9 - Onion, Mushroom, and Cheddar Omelette + Toast

10 - Out at Niu for Sushi

11 - Lentils + Asparagus + Pasta

12 - Lasagna + Vegan Caesar Salad

13 - Tortilla Soup

14 - Leftover Sandwich from Lunch at Work

15 - Onion, Mushroom, and Cheddar Omelette + Toast

16 - Trader Joe's Daal Makhani w/ Brown Rice + Leftover Tortilla Soup

17 - Roasted Sweet Potato w/ Old Bay and Ketchup

18 - Potatoes, Carrots, Cabbage, and Green Beans + Lentil Pasta
At friends for a belated St. Paddy's Day.

19 - Almond Butter Tofu w/ Eggplant and Brown rice

20 - Mozzarella and Balsamic Roasted Vegetable Sub + Vegan Caesar Salad

21 - Leftover Almond Butter Tofu w/ Eggplant and Brown Rice

22 - Baguette w/ Butter + Pickled Carrots
After lots of prosecco and cookies with coworkers after work.

23 - Leftover Almond Butter Tofu w/ Eggplant and Brown Rice + Asparagus

24 - Frittata w/ Potatoes, Green Beans, Onions, and Asparagus

25 - Out at Bad Apple after Brewery Touring (Veggie Burger + Fries)

26 - Falafel Pitas w/ Hummus + Tomato and Cucumber Salad

27 - Split Pea Soup (Sierra Soups Mix)  + Spinach Salad

28 - Leftover Falafel Pitas w/ Hummus + Tomato and Cucumber Salad

29 - Lasagna + Vegan Caesar Salad

30 - Leftover Lasagna + Leftover Vegan Caesar Salad

31 - Out at Green Street Smoked Meats
With Maggie and John after Shamrock Shuffle packet pickup! Despite the name, we ordered a bunch of killer sides... broccoli salad, mac salad, potato salad, coleslaw, and creamed corn elote. I've been wanting to take Joe back ever since. 

FREE CONE DAY!

Tuesday was Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's! Of all the unofficial holidays, this one ranks among my favorite. Right when Joe and I got home from work, we headed off to Navy Pier, which houses one of the only two Ben & Jerry's in the entire city of Chicago.

It was still light out when we left our apartment. We walked along the  lakefront to Navy Pier and got our ice cream. Cherry Garcia for me (classic B&J) and Chocolate Fudge Brownie for Joe (classic Joe).

It was a happy Free Cone Day indeed!

CHICAGO BREWERY HOPPING

On Saturday, Joe and I met up with Maggie, her boyfriend, John, and some of John's friends to go Chicago brewery hopping! We couldn't have made better plans. It was so rainy out! Brewery hopping was the perfect way to enjoy Chicago without actually being outside. 

We started out at the Revolution taproom, where I was that person who decided to try three smaller beers instead of one large one. If we're being honest I'm always *that* person lol. I got to try a peachy sour, a chocolatey porter, a nutty rye beer (whose name I forget), and Joe's beer too of course (because the guy can't order anything without me having a sip. ;) ) His was a strong stout that tasted a bit like madeira. 

After finishing our beers, we headed to Begyle Brewing, which was having Dog and Baby Day! It's exactly what it sounds like. Two of John's friends made it their goal to pet every dog there. We kept making jokes about how they shouldn't to do that with the babies, but then they went around and started trying to wave at all the babies. It was so funny! I got a delicious light Irish Red Ale. We also played skeeball and I came in 5th of 7th, which in case you're wondering is a good day for me.

For our third, we headed down the street to Half Acre for a quick drink since it was crowded and we were hungry. Per Maggie's reco, I ordered a Daisy Cutter.

We finished up our beers, and soon left to round out our day of drinking with a burgers and fries dinner. We also maybe all finished up with one beer. Ha.

PS: A few other fun brewery posts from the last few years...

• Harpoon with Daphne (Fall 2014)
• Brooklyn Brewery with Joe (Spring 2015)
• Captain Lawrence with Dori and Avery (Summer 2015)